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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27675541">Death's Daughter</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oricalle/pseuds/Oricalle'>Oricalle</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Discussion of Death, FEHweek2020, Gen, Spoilers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 00:14:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,507</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27675541</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oricalle/pseuds/Oricalle</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>As the Rite continues to take its toll on Fjorm, she seeks answers from an unexpected confidant.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Fjorm &amp; Eir</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Death's Daughter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It starts, as it always does, with a sharp pain in her side.</p><p>Fjorm staggers to the hallway floor, muffling a scream and landing on her knees.  Her abdomen stings, as if a hundred needles are being jammed against her insides, and at the same time a bitter chill spreads across her body.</p><p>The first time it had happened, she panicked.  Nearly broke down into tears, fully expecting the end to come, but now she knows better.  This is not death, not in its entirety.  It is only a reminder.</p><p>Fjorm rises to her feet, wincing as the pain of straightening tears through her side.  It is a process, now, even something as simple as getting up.  She looks around the hallway, searching for anyone who may have seen her moment of weakness.  No one is watching, so she permits herself to limp, slowly dragging the frozen side along as she continues the journey back to her bedroom.</p><p>The torches on the walls flicker gently, casting an enormous shadow behind the princess as she moves.  Each doorway is shadowed in darkness, creating the illusion of a long array of portals that open to nothingness around her.  She tries not to think about it.</p><p>When one of them calls her name, it terrifies her.</p><p>“Fjorm.”</p><p>She nearly shrieks before the source reveals herself, emerging from the void of a doorway with silent steps.  Like a ghost, Death’s daughter is barely visible in the dim light, her deep black dress like a shadow over her pale skin.</p><p>“Good evening.” Fjorm replies, quickly standing up straight.  She immediately feels the consequence for her deception, a new wave of pain in her side.  “It is good to see you, Lady Eir.”</p><p>The slight woman nods, her expression a solemn mask.  Fjorm has heard it whispered that Eir is devoid of feelings, and right now she’s tempted to believe it.  Even as she inclines her head, indicating Fjorm’s freezing right side, there is no sign of emotion on her face.</p><p>“Did you suffer an injury in battle?  One of the healers should have seen to it.”</p><p>“No, no, nothing like that.” Fjorm reassures.</p><p>She hadn’t fought today.  She had barely made it to the front hall to report, and when Seth had looked her over, he had sent her back.  The sadness in his eyes was still etched in her memory.  Eir was still looking at her, lips pursed as she stared.</p><p>“It is my...illness.”</p><p>What should she call it?  A sickness?  A curse?  The name doesn’t matter, all of them equally bitter when they slip off her tongue.</p><p>“I see.”</p><p>Eir nods, inscrutable.</p><p>“Well,” she begins, as she turns back into the shadow, “I won’t keep you any longer.  Goodnight, Princess Fjorm.”</p><p>As she begins to walk away, Fjorm calls out.</p><p>“Wait.”</p><p>Eir reemerges, still without emotion in her face.</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>There is a pause as Fjorm struggles for words, trying desperately to figure out how to ask what she wants to.  She’s not entirely sure if she wants to know the answer.</p><p>“Can you tell me the day I will die?”</p><p>At the question, Eir’s eyes widen.  She looks Fjorm over before stepping back, beckoning into the dark with an outstretched hand.</p><p>“Please, come inside so that we may speak.”</p><p>Though her heart is now pounding inside her chest, Fjorm follows, slowly making her way through the open door and into the dormitory of the pale specter.  Inside are a few sparse furnishings, a table and chair, a wardrobe, and a freshly made bed.  The majority of the room is empty, save for a potted plant in the corner, its blooms just beginning to poke out from beneath the soil.</p><p>Eir lowers herself into the chair and motions towards the bed.  As Fjorm sits down upon it, she feels the gritty texture of dust coating the palms of her hands.</p><p>“You wish to know when you will die?”</p><p>Fjorm nods.  “I...suppose I do.  If I know, I will be able to make the proper preparations, know what causes to pursue with my remaining time, say the right goodbyes to my siblings…”  Her voice grows fainter, and she finishes with a sigh.</p><p>“I am sorry.  The scope of mortal lives is not something I can discern.”  Her head hangs, and for a moment Fjorm thinks she catches a frown on the woman’s face.  “Such knowledge is...beyond me.”</p><p>“It’s alright.”  She leans forward, offering a hand of comfort, but Eir does not move to take it.  “I was just...curious, I suppose.”</p><p>When Eir sits up again, her silver hair falls like a curtain around her shoulders.  She continues to stare, eyes distant as she speaks in little more than a whisper.</p><p>“Are you afraid to die, Fjorm?”</p><p>Fjorm breathes heavily, the air seeming thinner in this chamber.  “I...I don’t think so.  Not...not in such a way that I would-”</p><p>“It is not something to be ashamed of.”  Eir’s expression has not changed.  “Not irrational.  Death comes for all the living, even those of great strength.”</p><p>Fjorm remembers Surtr, and the thought tightens her grip on the bedsheets.  She recalls his cruel plot to murder her sister (another sister), the way his “immortality” was bought with blood and lives.  Death had come for him, too, and far quicker than her.  The part of her that still burns with the indignity of it all flares up.</p><p>“It’s not fair.” she whispers.  A blush quickly rises to her cheeks, having just said something so frivolous in front of Eir.  To her surprise, the phantom leans forward, her pale hands outstretched.  Cold, spindly fingers intertwine with Fjorm’s.</p><p>“You need not feel ashamed.” Eir whispers.  “I will not judge you for being emotional.”</p><p>“I…”  Fjorm shakes her head as Eir squeezes her hands.</p><p>“You may confide in me.”</p><p>The statement is so simple, and yet, coming from Eir, it feels as if a great universal truth has been revealed to Fjorm.  She breathes in, holds tight to the frigid hands in hers, and lets go.</p><p>“It isn’t fair.  It isn’t fair that I tried so hard, worked so long, fought and hurt and bled and wept and watched my mother and sister die!  It’s not fair that this is happening to me, that Ylgr and Hrid are going to have to watch me go too!”</p><p>Hot tears sting her cheeks, and she’s not sure when they started flowing.</p><p>“I don’t want to go!  I’m happy here!  I finally have friends that love me and a purpose to fulfill, and it’s all been so lovely and I don’t want it to end!  But every day I can feel it getting worse, feel my body slowing and my heart aching, and I know I can’t run away forever.”</p><p>Something soft presses against her face, and Fjorm looks up to see Eir, dabbing gently at her cheeks with a tissue.  She squeezes her eyes shut.</p><p>“I’m dying, Eir.  I’m dying...and I know I can’t change that.”</p><p>She falls forward, half-consciously, and lands in Eir’s outstretched arms.  For a moment, she lies there, still against Eir’s body.  No pleasant warmth comes from her, no calming heartbeat, but there is something about the woman herself, some indescribable aura of peace, that slows Fjorm’s breath and calms her racing heart.</p><p>“Tell me, Princess.” </p><p>She looks up, meeting Eir’s gaze.</p><p>“There are many within these halls who have met with death.  Have you asked them what it was like?”</p><p>Fjorm has.  How could she not?  With some it was simple, the summoned versions of Gunnthra and Princess Laegjarn forthcoming about the experience.  Others, like the mercenary from Tellius and the Queen of Hoshido, she spent some time with in the castle halls.  All of them, however, shared a similar sentiment.</p><p>“That it was an end to suffering.” she whispers.</p><p>Eir nods.</p><p>“Princess Fjorm, my role is that of merciful death.  For those mired in pain, disease, or age, I bring release.  When your time comes, I will be there for you.  I will free you from what the Rite has done to your weary body, and I will take your hand and lead you away from all that has troubled you.  We will walk to the place where your mother and father wait for you, where your sister stretches out her arms and holds you close once more.”</p><p>Eir leans closer, looking Fjorm in her bleary eyes as she speaks.</p><p>“You will be allowed to rest, Princess.  To see all the good you have done for this world, all you have given for those you love.  And after that, you will choose your own future.”</p><p>For the first time, Fjorm sees a smile on Eir’s face, and she realizes just how beautiful Death’s daughter is.</p><p>“Death is not the end, Fjorm.  It is but another beginning.  And when the time comes that you need me, I will be by your side.  But, until then, you still have much to live for.  Your sister told me as much.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Super Secret Author's Notes:<br/>- Fjorm didn't ask Helbindi about dying because he won't say if he did.  He's too grumpy about it.<br/>- Fjorm didn't ask Helbindi about dying because the author hopes he's still alive.  THEY DIDN'T SHOW A DEATH SCENE PEOPLE THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE.<br/>- I, too, am hoping the cure research mentioned in Brave Lysithea's Forging Bonds means Fjorm can be saved in the game proper, but in the meantime, I'm here to indulge in the angst set before me.</p><p> </p><p>Thank you for reading!</p><p>This piece is something I've had in sort of "concept" production for months now, but I was inspired to finish it when I saw a Fire Emblem Heroes Week going on on Twitter!  Their Day 7 prompt is "FEH Characters", so I decided to finally bring this story into reality.  I've always wanted to do more with Eir, because I really like her design and role in the story.  I thought her relationship with Fjorm, especially, given the illness that's slowly killing her, would be an interesting topic to discuss.</p><p>Please feel free to leave any feedback, I love getting comments, and check out the other FEH Week pieces if you can!  I hope you have a lovely day.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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